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Formal Presentation Stage. Writing Formal Reports & Presenting Student Research. Simple Experimental Report. A typical formal scientific paper consists of the following five components: Title Introduction Procedure Results Conclusion
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Formal Presentation Stage Writing Formal Reports & Presenting Student Research
Simple Experimental Report • A typical formal scientific paper consists of the following five components: • Title • Introduction • Procedure • Results • Conclusion • Each component of the report needs to clearly explain the part of the experiment that the section deals with. • Every explanation in each respective section needs to be direct and rationalize its existence. • At this point in the experimental process, it is important to inform students that they already know how to do three of the five components; the two new components consisting of the introduction and the conclusion.
Component 1: Title • A well developed title clearly expresses what was tested in the experiment. • Usually, the title expresses the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. • For example: • The Effect of Water Temperature on the Dissolving Time of Effervescent Tablets
Component 2: Introduction • A well devised introduction focuses on the importance of the experiment; such as why you conducted the experiment, what you hoped to gain, and what you thought was going to happen. • The introduction component should contain any previous knowledge on which the experiment is based, such as, an explanation of any principles, definitions, experimental techniques, expected results, theories and laws. • Students can gain insight into writing their introduction by answering the following questions and then connecting them in paragraph form. • Why did you conduct the experiment? (Rationale) • What did you hope to learn? (Purpose) • What did you think would happen? (Hypothesis)
Component 3: Procedure • The procedure is a step by step detailed description of how the experiment was performed and is written in a way that would permit the audience to easily repeat the experiment. • Procedures are written in paragraph form in formal papers, such as the written component of a Science Fair project. • An acceptable procedure is written in impersonal (3rd person) past tense. • For example: • We are taking the temperature every five minutes. (NO) • The temperature was taken every five minutes. (YES)
Component 4: Results • All quantitative and qualitative data and observations are included in this component of the formal report. • Quantitative results should be presented in clear and concise data tables and graphs. • Calculations should always be reported when utilized. One example of each type of calculation should be included. • If qualitative results are obtained, they should also be recorded in a data table when appropriate. When a data table is not appropriate, they should be listed in description form and clearly described.
Component 5: Conclusion • The conclusion of any experiment includes the final answer obtained in the experiment. • In the conclusion, the relationship between the independent and dependent variables should be clearly defined, as well as a description of the validity of the original hypothesis. • A portion of the conclusion should explain any sources of possible error in the experiment. • Just like the procedure, the conclusion should be written in the impersonal past tense.
Practicing the Conclusion • For students who need help writing conclusions, they can answer the following questions and then connect them using paragraph form. • What was the purpose of the experiment? • What were the major findings? • Was the research hypothesis supported by the data? • How did your findings compare with other researchers or with information in the textbook? • What possible explanations can you offer for the findings? • What recommendations do you have for further study and for improving the experiment?
Preparing Students for Lab Reports • Discuss each component in detail as time permits. Explain each component and provide several examples for each section. • Have students prepare for a lab by reading the lab and identify the hypothesis and writing it in the correct form. • Have students draw an experimental design diagram. • Have students summarize the procedure. • Have students write the introduction or suggest improvements to the lab. • Most importantly, make sure students understand that each writing task will help them to complete their Science Fair paper later in the year.
Cooperative Lab Reports • Students can share the five individual jobs of a formal lab report and each student can be in charge of a separate component to gain practice. • Teachers can place students into lab groups and can rotate job titles throughout different labs. • When students are placed in groups, they can also be required to cooperatively create an abstract for a classroom experiment. • Abstract- a concise summary of the investigation that includes the purpose of the investigation, the hypothesis tested, a brief description of the procedure, major findings, and the conclusion. • Each time a student is required to practice one of these components through writing, they need FEEDBACK!
Paper Guidelines • Guidelines will vary from competition to competition, so it is important to be aware of all competition rules and regulations. • Guidelines listing what all Scientific Research Papers have in common are listed in Table 13.2 on pg. 235 in your book. • Key Components: • Title Page • Abstract • Introduction • Methods and Materials • Results • Discussion/Conclusion • Bibliography • Acknowledgements • Appendix • Special Instructions
Display Board Presentations • Most local science fairs follow the International Science and Engineering Fair requirements for exhibit size and components. • The format of the display board parallels the components mentioned in the formal report. • Title • Statement of Problem • Procedure • Results • Conclusion • A visual representation of a typical board is shown in Figure 18.1 on pg. 296 of the text.
Display Board Components • Title: • The title on the display board may resemble the title on the formal report or can be creative to gain the attention of evaluators. • Statement of the Problem • On the display board, the problem is most frequently stated in the form of a question. • Procedure • On the display board, the procedure can be written in list or paragraph form. Use a form that maximizes space. Follow local guidelines.
Components (continued) • Results • Only the most important tables and graphs should be included on the display board. • It is effective to include photographs and diagrams of the experimental results. Use communicative devices that portray the data most effectively. • Conclusion • On the display board, focus on the part of the conclusion that specifically discusses how the data supports the experimental question and hypothesis.
Oral Presentations • The following list can help to prepare students who win with a list of guidelines to follow when presenting their experiment. • Begin by telling the audience about yourself and why you chose your topic. • Describe your problem and give information about the chosen variables. • State your purpose and hypothesis. • Describe the procedure and acknowledge any help you received. • Explain your results using appropriate visual aids. • Share conclusions and state how they supported the hypothesis. • Suggest future improvements to the experiment.
Constructing the Oral Report • The following list provides an easy way for students to convert their written report into an oral report. • Underline the most important facts and note the best graphs. • Read the paper to a teacher, parent, or another student and ask for feedback on posture, speech, volume, speed, and proposed visuals. • Write the important information on note cards, number the cards in chronological order, and mark when visual aids should be used. • Prepare visuals. • Present to a peer and receive feedback. • Practice, practice, practice. • Practice the presentation in front of the class. Obtain feedback. • Practice until you can effectively present without having to read the cards.
Practice Presenting • All students should receive various opportunities to present an experiment in a low risk environment before they are required to present a ten minute presentation to a judging board. • Students can present to a peer. • Students can present to a group of three to five. • Students can present to their class. • Students can present to another class. • The key is to continue to provide each student with personal feedback and allow them to overcome their fear of talking in front of others.
Success in the Science Fair • All students contain the ability to be successful at any level of the science fair. • It takes plenty of time, effort, coaching, and the appropriate support, but every teacher can help each student become a better scientist. • All it takes is each student to begin to think systematically and rationally through every step that they take.